Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, MAy 3, 2024 MEETING | FROM PAGE 1 hicles for various departments, $2.7 million for capital improvements in the sewer system and $2.3 million for a new sewer lift station are the other top money items on the warrant that the 50-member body will consider in the special session. During its Wednesday (May 1) meeting, the Finance Committee gave favorable review of the 10 articles, which also include money for capital improvements to town-owned bridges, a transfer to the Town of Saugus Stabilization Fund, a transfer to the town’s Other Post-Employment Benefits Trust, money to the Stabilization Fund for the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School construction project and money for the replacement of water hydrants and valves. “I’m happy with the results of tonight’s meeting,” Town Moderator Steve Doherty told The Saugus Advocate after the Finance Committee ended its review of the Special Town Meeting warrant and a handful of articles that could be taken up to begin the Annual Town Meeting. “My goal for Monday night is to get through the special, and then if we have time, to move on to the Annual Town Meeting,” Doherty said. Moderator expects “a productive session” The first order of business will be to elect the moderator to preside over the 2023-25 Town Meeting term. Doherty, who has served as moderator for 10 years, seeks another two-year term and doesn’t have any vocal opposition at this point. “I haven’t heard of anyone throwing their hat in the ring,” Doherty said. As for the upcoming Annual Town Meeting season, he’s “excited.” “I’m looking forward to a productive session. I’m looking forward to a very good year,” Doherty said. “It’s nice to see some new faces participating in the process,” he said, referring to last November’s town elections when 13 new Town Meeting members were elected for the 202325 term. Nine of the town’s 10 precincts have at least one new member. Doherty also said he’s confident that this year’s freshman class of Town Meeting members may be the best-prepared one in years, as many of the newcomers took advantage of several mini-Town Meeting seminars at the Saugus Public Library organized by Precinct 10 Town Meeting Members Peter Manoogian and Carla A. Scuzzarella. “I applaud their efforts [Manoogian and Scuzzarella],” Doherty said. “They really put a lot of useful information in the hands of new members – information about the budget process and the procedures of Town Meeting. I attended the seminars and thought they were very informative,” he said. Concerns over the price of Eastern Bank Building on Rte. 1S 605 Broadway, #301 * Saugus (781) 233-6844 www.bostonnorthdental.com vehicles The Finance Committee’s review of the Special Town Meeting articles went smoothly for the most part, except for Article 5 – a request to borrow $1.7 million for department equipment. “Why would a dump truck cost less than a pickup truck?” veteran FinCom Member TheDr. Priti Amlani Dr. Bhavisha Patel resa Katsos asked. “That makes no sense to me,” she said. Article 5 noted in its break* Restorative Dentistry * Cosmetic Dentistry * Implant Restoration * Zoom Whitening * Teeth in a Day - All on 6 * Invisalign * CEREC Crowns (Single Visit Crowns) * Root Canal Treatment * Sedation Dentistry ~ Full Mouth Rehabilitation ~ Before After down of costs that a pickup truck for the town’s Highway Department would cost $110,000 while a dump truck budgeted for the Parks Department was budgeted at $100,000 and a dump truck for the Sewer Department was budgeted at $105,000. There were two fiveton dump trucks earmarked for the Highway Department budgeted at $225,000 apiece. “We just go by what we get for quotes,” Town Manager Scott Crabtree said. “Vehicle trucks in particular are off the charts,” Crabtree added. The list of department equipment includes four new police cruisers, priced at $310,000, a utility vehicle for the Municipal Department at $45,000, a flatbed/spreader for the Highway Department at $125,000, a sidewalk tractor for the Highway Department at $160,000, a trash truck for the Parks Department at $165,000 and a compressor for the Water Department at $100,000. “The vehicles to be replaced by those on this list are now older and require continued maintenance,” stated the warrant article. “The police cruisers are being replaced on a regular schedule because of the high demand and performance on a daily basis requiring that they be functioning and safe.” Katsos said she prefers to see separate articles for each of the vehicles and pieces of equipment. Crabtree told the Finance Committee that “politically, it’s better to put them all together.” His rationale in the past has been that single articles would tend to focus more attention on specific departments receiving the new vehicles instead of taking a comprehensive look at the town’s new vehicle needs in a given year. Crabtree noted that it’s been common in recent years for the town budget to include money to buy four new police cruisers, which usually takes a year to get after ordering them. A closer look at the articles ● Article 2: Stabilization Fund Transfer. This would transfer $1 million from certified free cash into the fund, which is the town’s main financial reserve in the event of an emergency, unforeseen circumstances or an extraordinary need. With the approval of this appropriation, the fund’s balance would be about 10.9 percent of the Fiscal Year 2025 general fund operating budget. Crabtree said a goal of good fiscal management is to maintain 10 percent of the town’s operating budget in this fund. The current balance is $11.2 million. ● Article 3: Transfer to Other Post-Employment Benefits Trust. This would transfer $1 million from certified free cash into the fund, which currently has a balance of $2.3 million. The purpose of the fund is to begin to fund the liability for health and life insurance benefits for retirees of the Town of Saugus and Saugus Public Schools. Town Meeting adopted the state law to create the fund in June 2016. ● Article 4: A million-dollar appropriation taken from certified free cash for the Stabilization Fund for the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School. Town Meeting approved this fund in May 2022 as a special reserve to fund the debt service for the Voke school construction project, and the balance is currently more than $1 million. The amount that is due from the Town of Saugus for Fiscal Year 2025 is $488,201. ● Article 6: Water Hydrants and valves. An appropriation of $300,000 from certified free cash is requested to fund ongoing improvements. For several years, the Water Division of the Department of Public Works has been replacing or repairing failed hydrants and valves as well as installing valves for better control of the water system. The department conducts the design, bidding and construction with the staff of the Water Division, resulting in significant savings. ● Article 7: Sewer Rehabilitation – Capital Improvements; a request to borrow $2.7 million. As part of the Administrative Consent Order several years ago, the town identified several areas in need of reducing inflow and infiltration in the sewer system. ● Article 8: Sewer Lift Station – Capital Improvements; a request to borrow $2.3 million for the construction of Sewer Lift Station Improvements. The Lynnhurst lift station is more than 25 years old and needs to be replaced. Its proximity to very sensitive environmental receptors, such as the Lynn water supply, makes this a particular concern for the town. Town Meeting in May last year appropriated $700,000 at a Special Town Meeting for the design and permitting phase of this project. ● Article 9: Town-owned Bridges – Capital improvements; a request to borrow $680,000 to address safety concerns of town bridges. A portion of the appropriation ($180,000) would be used to begin the design phase on the Highland Avenue and Vine Street crossings. The balance of the appropriation ($500,000) would be used for repairs which have been identified by the MassDOT as necessary for the Hamilton Street and Lisa Lane bridges. ● Article 10: Drainage – Capital Improvements; a request to borrow $5.7 million to fund swale maintenance (brook cleaning) and the construction of catch basins, drain pipes and drain manholes for areas of town identified as needing drainage improvements. ● Article 11: Parks and Playgrounds; a request to borrow $2 million as part of the town’s continued investment in the improvement of parks and playgrounds at various locations in the community. This money will be used for the design, construction, repair or replacement of various parks and playgrounds.
3 Publizr Home